Hotels convenient to Amtrak

[Rasputin]

It appears that the Royal St. Charles Hotel in New Orleans, a reasonable taxi or Uber ride from the Amtrak station is now the Hotel Indigo.

And the Camino Real Hotel in El Paso, within reasonable walking distance from the Amtrak station, is now the Hotel Paso Del Norte.

It appears that both of these hotels have undergone recent renovations and prices appear to have jumped somewhat but perhaps that is my imagination.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I have stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn (a short ride or long walk from the station). I am in the Hilton Honors points program, so the hotel worked very well for me.

There's also a Marriott close to the Bay Bridge in Emeryville ( and a Trader Joes is close by)that several of us stayed @ during the Bay Area Gathering, but for close you can't beat the Hyatt House that jis mentioned since its right across the Tracks from the Emeryville Staion.

 

[jiml]

There's also a Marriott close to the Bay Bridge in Emeryville

That would be the Four Points Sheraton about a block further west of the aforementioned Hyatt property. Even as a Marriott person, I stayed at the Hyatt despite the Four Points getting decent reviews. This is not an area that is particularly comfortable after dark (based on several years ago) and the Hyatt has that best of all hotel features - location, location, location. If an on-time arrival were guaranteed I might make a different decision.

 

[Acela150]

Not sure if this hotel has been mentioned or not. But there is a Courtyard a very short walk from the RTE 128 train station. I've stayed there frequently and for me it's a 5-10 minute walk from the time I step off the train to the time I'm in the lobby. Also nearby is a large shopping center with a bunch of eateries and shopping.

 

[Bob Dylan]

That would be the Four Points Sheraton about a block further west of the aforementioned Hyatt property. Even as a Marriott person, I stayed at the Hyatt despite the Four Points getting decent reviews. This is not an area that is particularly comfortable after dark (based on several years ago) and the Hyatt has that best of all hotel features - location, location, location. If an on-time arrival were guaranteed I might make a different decision.

OPPS, you're correct, it was a Sheraton, but as it's been 6years since I last stayed there, a Senior Moment caused me to get it wrong.

I never did feel uncomfortable walking to/from places while staying there during the Gathering( the Navys Blue Angels were staying there, it was Fleet Week in San Francisco) but usually was with others!

 

[jiml]

OPPS, you're correct, it's a Sheraton, but as it's been 6years since I last stayed there, a Senior Moment caused me to get it wrong.

I never did feel uncomfortable walking to/from places while staying there but usually was with others!

Now part of the Marriott umbrella, so we're both right. My attitude is if I can stay for free or get an upgrade, it's a Marriott.

 

[flitcraft]

There was just an item on the local news about hotel occupancy in Seattle now being at more than 95% of the occupancy during the last pre-COVID year, which is not a good thing for rates! Also, during the years before the pandemic, Seattle had an explosion of high rise office building, much associated with the tech boom, so much so that they ran out of construction cranes and had to import some from as far away as Chicago. That high rise boom made it uneconomical to use city lots for hotels, so we have had only one new hotel open in Seattle, according to the story, in the past eight years. Also, some of the older motels have been given over to Section 8 and homeless housing. All of which is a perfect storm for outrageous hotel prices. Add to that the All Star Game being played here in July, and I would strongly suggest that, if you have points to use, this might be a good time to use them.

 

[Rambling Robert]

Hubby and I have a trip coming up in May: Southwest Chief from Los Angeles to Chicago, Lakeshore Ltd from Chicago to Boston, Downeaster from Boston to Portland ME where we will rent a car and drive to Bar Harbor. Then the entire trip in reverse. Not only did it cost me well over $5K for train fare (bedrooms) but I am absolutely staggered at the cost for hotels, and we stay at decent but not fancy places. The trip, which is 18 days total with 11 nights total in hotels, is costing a fortune and I don't think we'll do such a long trip with multiple legs and hotels again.

First, be sure you have notification status with amtrak.com/deals. There’s a good chance that soon (before May) that as happened last year, Amtrak will offer a substantial discount, even if you were already booked - shaved off 25%!

Coach hybrid? You can perhaps go coach for part of your trip maybe the return LSL might be a good choice. Especially since LSL doesn’t currently have traditional dining. I think you’ll still be able to use the metropolitan lounge in Chicago - the showers are great by the way

Getting into Boston if you’re not familiar with the Back Bay, ask the conductor as you get off which way to the orange line that brings you to North Station and of course the DownEaster. But if you decide to go into South Station instead, I would recommend a cab too BON because they’re the same price as an Uber or Lyft driver PLUS there’s a Taxi stand at BOS.

In Portland, there is a full fledged Marriott AND A variant Marriott called “Aloft” hotel. The cabbie was confused until he saw the cryptic Aloft sign on the building. Both Marriott’s are on Commercial Street - Portland’s main drag. The great restaurant is across from Aloft is Becky’s Diner - if you like outside ask for the upstairs porch with harbor view.

The Aloft was about $90, includes breakfast. Young crowd, as is Portland. I was on the 6th floor and the bed faced this huge window - facing the city’s beautiful architecture in the morning light! They slored my bag after checkout so I could take a brief round trip on a ferry. I recommend the “Aloft.”

I would maybe have the car delivered to the actual AMTRAK Portland station rather than the hotel - it cost me $25 to get from the Portland station to the hotel and it was only a few miles.

LASTLY - What a great trip you’ll have to Bah Hah-bah. All the nooks and crannies of the Maine Coast coming into bloom.

 

[SwedeC]

My nomination for a great railroad hotel is one you can't access using Amtrak - Nashville's Marriott Signature Hotel in the former Nashville Union Station. Beautifully restored, bar and good restaurant in the building. Check-in desk has the old arrivals board on the back wall, showing the Pan American. I do hope for a train there once more.

 

[Way2Kewl]

+1 for Hyatt House Emeryville. It's a solid goto when taking Zephyr. As mentioned above, it's only 1,000 feet (.2 mi) door to door and has a walk bridge to connect the hotel and station. (it's a bit more expensive than some alternatives but can't beat the convenance.)

If you're a railfan book a King Suite and (Manager instructions...) ask them to add notes for a higher room facing the train station.
1301, 03, 05, 09
1201, 03, 05, 09
1101, 03, 05, 09
1001, 03, 05, 09
call hotel directly 1 week before and ask them if there are notes. (validate the first rep added).
They are supposed to look at the notes when assigning rooms in the morning. This has worked each time I've requested.

Attached photos showing both from both station and hotel balcony
Enjoy the trip

 

[Willbridge]

+1 for Hyatt House Emeryville. It's a solid goto when taking Zephyr. As mentioned above, it's only 1,000 feet (.2 mi) door to door and has a walk bridge to connect the hotel and station. (it's a bit more expensive than some alternatives but can't beat the convenance.)

If you're a railfan book a King Suite and (Manager instructions...) ask them to add notes for a higher room facing the train station.
1301, 03, 05, 09
1201, 03, 05, 09
1101, 03, 05, 09
1001, 03, 05, 09
call hotel directly 1 week before and ask them if there are notes. (validate the first rep added).
They are supposed to look at the notes when assigning rooms in the morning. This has worked each time I've requested.

Attached photos showing both from both station and hotel balcony
Enjoy the trip

This reminds me of checking into a hotel across the street from the Essen Hauptbahnhof and the desk clerk apologizing for only having rooms facing the Bahnhofsvorplatz. I accepted his apology and tried to keep a straight face.

 

[Rizla Ronnie]

We stayed at HH before commencing our trip to Chicago last summer and it's perfectly fine if a little expensive for its location.
If you're into that sort of thing there's a really good little bar not far from the station called the Branch Line.
Great regulars bar, friendly hosts and the food is pretty good too.
Other than that there's not much around the area - the walkway and elevators connecting both sides feels a little sketchy but we never felt unsafe.
It's just one of those suburban station areas on the edge of town.

 

[Rambling Robert]

I’d be on the DE RIGHT NOW haha - just to have some pot roast at Beckys Diner, but the one thing not mentioned in my post above about “Aloft” hotel was that from the Portland’s Amtrak station the local shuttle bus seem to never show up.

Aloft room with a view - haha


Becky ‘s Diner (upstairs porch)




More hotel info on the Downeaster stations stops:

In Brunswick Maine I stayed at the Brunswick Inn, as it was being renovated to what is known as the OneSixFive. But now the kitchen is open and they offer dining $140pp which is more than I paid for my room in their Carriage House!

Carriage House foyer at OneSixFive
(Brunswick inn)



Primarily due to Amtrak’s special on the DE I did a Hattrick and stayed at Brunswick, Portland, and Freeport. The Hilton Garden Inn at Freeport was very nice and very near the station and shopping especially L.L. Bean. One little thing was that when I checked in they mentioned breakfast would be seven dollars including pancakes, and when I sat down for breakfast, it was $16.

Hilton Garden Inn - Freeport Maine:

 

[Widfara]

I've stayed twice at the Clarion Hotel Airport in Portland ME. It is walking distance to the Amtrak station, and a pleasant walk into Portland, or there is a decent city bus system.
Good rates, decent rooms, and there is a laundry room in the building.
Ananias Market across Congress has decent sandwiches and stuff.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

We stayed at HH before commencing our trip to Chicago last summer and it's perfectly fine if a little expensive for its location.
If you're into that sort of thing there's a really good little bar not far from the station called the Branch Line.
Great regulars bar, friendly hosts and the food is pretty good too.
Other than that there's not much around the area - the walkway and elevators connecting both sides feels a little sketchy but we never felt unsafe.
It's just one of those suburban station areas on the edge of town.

I wonder if any local pizza places deliver to the hotel rooms there? I have the apps for some of the major pizza chains (f.ex., Domino's, Pizza Hut)

 

[Maglev]

Bellingham, Washington, is a good base for touring Northwest Washington. The stretch of Amtrak running between Mount Vernon and Bellingham along the shore at the base of Mount Chuckanut is one of the most scenic coastal stretches in the Amtrak system.

Just a few blocks from the Amtrak station (also the bus and Alaska Ferry terminal) is the Fairhaven Village Inn . It offers comfortable rooms with fireplaces, and there are numerous restaurants nearby.


Bald Eagle from a Cascades train:




Another view from Cascades train, San Juan Islands in the background:




View from room at Fairhaven Village Inn of Alaska Ferry and Cascades train:

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

The hubby has suggested that, once we get the 12K bonus points added to our (no annual fee version) AGR credit card, we consider booking a trip to Indianapolis with points. Any suggestions for a hotel super-close to the Indy train station? (Since the eastbound Cardinal arrives in Indy so late, we'd prefer to minimize any travel from the station to the hotel.)

 

[amtrakpass]

There is a crown plaza in Indianapolis pretty much right at the station that was fine some years ago when I stayed there but it has been awhile. There also is a nice hotel called the Omni Severin close by but might be more pricey

 

[jiml]

That may be the one with restored sleeping cars as available rooms.

 

[zephyr17]

There is a crown plaza in Indianapolis pretty much right at the station that was fine some years ago when I stayed there but it has been awhile. There also is a nice hotel called the Omni Severin close by but might be more pricey

The only problem is it is on the other side of the rail viaduct over Illinois St. from the pit that is the current Indy Amtrak station. The viaduct is quite long because it carried all the platform tracks, and it has cubbies that were doors to offices that once were under the tracks. At the bad train times in Indy, I consider the walk up Illinois St. under that viaduct dangerous. It is very creepy in any case. Unfortunately, it is also so close that cabs may refuse the fare.

I'd just pick a hotel in downtown Indy and cab it. Don't walk it. I have, and won't do it again.

Unfortunately, there is really nothing on the south side of the tracks where the current station is. You have to get to the north side. Cab it. Don't walk.

 

[BCL]

The Emeryville situation was mentioned.

The closest hotel to the station is the Hyatt House, which is right across the pedestrian bridge. It used to be a hotel called the Woodfin Suites.

https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/california/hyatt-house-emeryville-san-francisco-bay-area/oakxe
The next closest would be the Four Points, which is across Powell Street. Now under the combined Marriott/Sheraton umbrella.

https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hote...y-sheraton-san-francisco-bay-bridge/overview/
The newest is Hyatt Place, which is right on the edge of the Bay Street shopping/residential area.

https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/california/hyatt-place-emeryville-san-francisco-bay-area/oakze
Then there's further away, including the Hilton Garden Inn. I've stayed there once after a party, but it was originally a Holiday Inn. And I had an issue with the noise on the side facing the freeway. We could hear copious amounts of road noise. Other than that, it was great.

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/sfobbgi-hilton-garden-inn-san-francisco-oakland-bay-bridge/
Then there's the Sonesta, which was originally a Courtyard. A family friend stayed there once and we were concerned that they might be getting a room on the freeway side. They did, but it was amazingly quiet.

https://www.sonesta.com/sonesta-hot...e/sonesta-emeryville-san-francisco-bay-bridge

 

[Bob Dylan]

That may be the one with restored sleeping cars as available rooms.

Yep, and it's also the Original Rail Station in Indy, which is a Palace compared to the Basement Dump that is now the Rail/Bus Station on the wrong side of the Tracks!

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

The hubby has now changed his mind about booking a trip to Indy with points, since the eastbound Cardinal arrives there so late. He's thought of Carbondale, IL (where our son attended law school at SIU) as an alternative. I know some of the hotels convenient to I-57 in Marion and Carbondale, but not ones convenient to the Amtrak station. Any suggestions?

 

[mackinaw chief]

Or Boston or Austin!!!

Boston has a hostel on Stuart street within eye sight of the station it's not that far you get on silver line out by taxi stand go and get off within a block of the hostel. HI Boston is cheap

You should be thankful you don’t need a hotel in Seattle.

From what I've seen the best Western is inexpensive and short walk from station in Seattle

The hubby and I were pleasantly surprised to get a very inexpensive room (approx. $70 for 1 night) at the La Quinta in Pleasant Prairies/Kenosha, WI the night before Thanksgiving. (And I've been a Wyndham Rewards member for several years, so we earned those points for our stay, plus some AGR points for using our new FNBO credit card to pay for it.) I don't anticipate finding hotel rooms at anywhere near those prices at either the Emeryville or Chicago endpoints of our planned California Zephyr roundtrip next year. (Speaking of which, I want to book that trip next week, so the cost of our fares will bump our spending on the FNBO credit card up enough to earn the 12K bonus AGR points (on the no-annual-fee version of that credit card).) We're thinking October would be a good time to travel, and far enough out so we can be flexible on dates (to get the best deal on the fares) without running into work conflicts.

Emeryville. Has the Hilton garden inn and a couple others yes it's a bit pricey but at least you have a shower and can get breakfast buffet included in rate. Taxis are non existent in Emeryville I called the hotel to get a cab sent to the station I can't walk that far.

Holiday inn express st charles in New Orleans is within a half mile decent room breakfast is awesome.

 

[flitcraft]

From what I've seen the best Western is inexpensive and short walk from station in Seattle

Off season, yes, but I tried a couple of test dates in June and July and, with taxes you're looking at the mid 300 dollar a night range or higher. For inexpensive hotel space, I'd look for places near the airport with a shuttle to the airport, from which you can catch the light rail to King St Station at the International District/Chinatown station. Given the hotel room shortage in the summer months here, it's going to be a challenge to find affordable hotel rooms in Seattle unless and until they build more hotel space. I have been wondering whether some of the unoccupied high rise office space could be re-purposed for hotel space, though I suspect that the retrofitting of plumbing needed would be uneconomical. (Still, they've done this in other cities--like Seoul, for one example.)